A bill intended to protect health care workers from assault by body fluid or waste has advanced in the Indiana General Assembly.

Bill sponsor Sen. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield), who also heads a hospital security team, says current state law does not cover employees at medical facilities who often have to deal with intoxicated or agitated patients.

With the news that more than a dozen tea party groups are actively recruiting a GOP candidate to run against U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2014, it’s worth taking a look at how Kentucky tea party-endorsed candidates have fared in statewide or Congressional races.

Since forming in the run up to the 2010 mid-term elections, Kentucky's tea party has won more than a third of the races its challenged for prominent offices, and its candidates have won several primaries over Republican establishment candidates.

Jefferson County Public Schools officials are optimistic about the future of career and technical education programs in the district despite a drop in enrollment last year.

A higher than projected enrollment in JCPS CTE programs this year has led to an increase in state funding of nearly $200,000. The JCPS board approved the increase in funding at Monday night's meeting.

The president of the Louisville-based Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is criticizing the Boy Scouts of America's decision to re-examine a policy that excluded openly gay scouts and scout leaders.

Albert Mohler discussed the possible Boy Scouts change with USA Today, calling it "nothing less than disastrous" for the organization. The newspaper quotes him: 

The pollution in China's capital has intensified again, and some residents are turning to gas masks to breathe. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing is tracking the current air quality, and it's most recent reading finds that even late at night, the air is hazardous: "Everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors; people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children should remain indoors and keep activity levels low."

A few months ago, I reported that a new Metro Government app to encourage citizens to participate in cataloging the city’s tree canopy was available on iTunes. Now, the city’s tree commission has revamped the app, and changed its focus to ash trees.

Prices on mail sent through the U.S. Postal Service increased this week — the price of a first-class stamp now costs 46 cents, up a penny. But for small businesses that ship products overseas, like many independent record labels, the costs could be much larger.

Brian Lowit, who has worked at Washington, D.C.'s Dischord Records for 10 years, says that while a postage rate hike is a familiar bump in the road, "I've never seen one this drastic."

In college basketball, the Louisville Cards snapped a three-game losing streak with a 64-61 win over Pittsburgh tonight at the KFC Yum Center.

U of L was without two players for the game.

Wayne Blackshear sprained his right shoulder during practice Sunday and is expected to be sidelined for what the team calls “a short time.”

Guard Kevin Ware has been suspended indefinitely for an unspecified reason.

Earlier today, the Cards fell to number 12 in the latest Associated Press men’s college basketball poll and are ranked 13th in the new USA Today coaches poll.